Vehicle brake operating device



C. D. RAMELLI VEHICLE BRAKE OPERATING DEVICE Aug. 25, 193.1.

Filed June 4, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheat l r m U 6 h w ,W o/m WN. k N N l J s Vhun, .W ..-o I@ m. mm m7/ mwlf EN. I .W QN.\T 4... HJ. m i/NN. hw All.AM Am Homey Aug. 25, 1931'. c. D. RAMELLI VEIIIICLE BRAKE OPERATINGDEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 4, 1930 Inventor 6', Q/m

A Ilorney posed longitudinally Patented Aug. 25, 1931 PATENT OFFICECHARLES D. RAIVIELLI, F RENO, NEVADA VEHICLE BRAKE OPERATING DEVICEApplication filed Jun-e 4, 1930. Serial No. 459,126.

This invention relates to an improved device or yapparatus forsimultaneously actu-V ating the front and rear brake rods of afour-wheel brake assembly.

.By way of introduction, I call attention to a somewhat similar vehiclebrake operating mechanism shown and described in my co-pendingapplication, Serial 462,082, filed by me under date of J une 18, 1930.

The invention constituting the subject matter of this application reliesfor its novelty upon a simple, economical, and practical arrangement ofmechanical elements associated in effective co-operative relationship topermit the front and rear brake rods to be simultaneously operated fromthe usual foot brake and thefpurpose of the invention is to Igenerallyimprove upon 1nventions of this general classification by providing anarrangement which is characteristically different from similar patentedand marketed structures known to me.

-Bricfly stated, the improved structure is characterized by a series oftransversely disspaced rocker devices or shafts supported on the vehiclechassis and operatively connected in such a manner as to equalize force,stress and strain and to thereby render the operation of the bracesubstantially uniform throughout the brake system.

In carrying` the inventive conception into practice I have found itpractical and eX- pedient to utilize three distinguishable roclc "ershafts, there being a central rocker shaft constituting the master shaftwith which the foot brake actuating rod is adjustably connected, and apair of supplemental or auxiliary rocker shafts for the front and rearbrake rods respectively, wherein these latter rocker shafts areadjustably and in'- dividually connected with the master shaft in such amanner as to equalize the application of' the brake pressure and forcethroughout the system.

oscillatory Other features and advantages will become more readilyapparent from the following descriptionand drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a sort of diagrammatic top plan view showing'the generalassembly constituting the improved mechanism.

Figures 2, 8 and 4, are cross sections taken on the line 2 2, 3-3 and4-4 respectively o'f Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, it will be noted that the reference character5 designates a substantially centrally disposed transversely extendingmaster shaft. Incidentally the term shaft is vused to designate thecomposite or'complemental part of the complete assembly which makes upthis sectional shaft construction. l

For example, it will be noted that the reference character 6 designatesa relatively rigid-rod or aXle of the shaft on which the tubular shaftor sleeve 7 and 8 are rockably mounted.

As shown in Figure 3, the shaft section 7 isprovided with anupstandingrocker arm 9 while the shaft section 8 is provided with acentral depending rocker arm 10. The

spaced end'portions of these shaftk sections 7 and 8 are provided withadditional rocker arms 11 and 12 with Vwhich an adjustable couplingdevice 13 is connected. This def vice comprises a `pair of links 11a andA12a respectively connected with the Vcorresponding rocker arms.

These links are pivotally connected with the rocker arms 11 and 12 atone end and at the opposite ends have pivotal connection with anapertured tie link 14'. The clevis on the rear end of the foot brakeactuating rod 15 is adjustably connected with the device 18 through themedium of the tie link 14. This vpermits the sections 7 and 8 to besimultaneously manipulated Vfrom the lfoot brake (not shown) by way ofthe rod 15.

In Figure 2, the numeral .16 designates generally the rear supplementalrocker shaft assembly which `comprises a rigid supporting bar 17 havingupstanding bearings 18 to accommodate the relatively short and longrocker shafts 19 and 20 respectively. The companion rocker arm 21 on theadjacent ends of these sections 19 and 20 are connected with the links22 ofthe rear coupler 23.

Here again, I provide a tie link 24 for connecting the two linkstogether. The numeral 25 designates a turnbuckle which is connected atone end withthe centralportion of the link 2 and connected at itsopposite end with the aforesaid rocker arm 9. The arms 19a and 20a-oftheshaft sec;

tions 19 and 2O respectively serveto accom:V

modate the rearwardly extending brake operating rod 26 as shownforexamplefin Fig ure 1. This arrangement disposes the operatingconnection-w to the leftof the longitudinal axis of theA chassis frame27 andv thereby offcenter With respect tothe longitudinal disposition ofthe foot brake rod 15. zslhis provides the desired transmission of powerfrom the rod 15 to the rear brake rod 26, and affords thenecessary'relative com pensating action between the respective partsby'waygof the adjustable connection.

plane-'substantially even with the rod 15. The onebrake rod, however,designated by the numerals 28fare disposedxon a plane. below the-rods-15 andf2'5 aswell asbelow.

Seithezchassis frame 27. y lThe-fronti rocker shaft assemblyis reversed'with respect/co that shown in Figure 2 to accommodatethis particulararrangement of there-dsr 2S;V This front assembly generally designatedby the `numeral 29 and vcomprises a supporting :bar 30 rigidly fastenedtothe top flanges of the chassisf frame and provided with dependingbeareingsil'so arranged as to accommodate the ,left and right. rocker shaft'sections.A 32' and4 33 respectively;

In this arrangement the rocker arms 34- connect with a coupler,generally'. designated by-fthe numeral 35 and'comprisinga tie linksoy-86 l andv complemental connecting links 37 whichvareconnected with'the'rocker arm 341 The numeral 38 designatesan `elongated lt will benoticed that the rod, 25 lies in a4 means connecting theinner'armslof"onelpair 130 bly, and the one at'29 is the front rockershaft assembly.

The equalization of action is permitted by the central disposition ofthe main actuating foot brake rod 15 with the master 70 shaft 5,together With the arrangement of auxiliary shaft assemblies which are inturn connected with the master shaft through the medium of the operatingconnections 35 and 38 respectively, which connections 75 are disposed onopposite sides of the longitudinal axis of movement of the1 shaft 15.

The brake control rods 26 leading yto the reararecconned within the areaof the cha-ssis frame, whereas the front brake control rods 28 aredisposedon the outside of the chassis frame,... The fact that eachrocker shaft lassembly comprises a relatively rigidpart:and=thesectional oscillatory part, together with the individuallink and rod connections Aprovidesfthe desired .mechanism .for equaldistrbution of .strain and .permitsthe structure to compensateforl'eXisting-"irregus larities., whereby to. permitithev desired.unisform simultaneous operation of vtherods-2 9o" andV 28 respectively.

ln other words, the rotation .ofthe rocken shaftsecti'ons 7 `and-8`inawforwarddirec-Iy tion permits simultaneous pullingv of vthe con.necting rods 25 Yand 38' inopposite'directions 95" to apply the brakinglforce .properly tothe*v brake drum, both at, thei fronti. and f rear/-of the vehicle. y

It is thoughtthat personsskillediin'th'e art towhichtheinventionrela-tes .will bfc-i" able to obtain a clearunderstanding*ofthe1 invention after considering th'ef description@ inconnection with. the drawings.y Therefore,-

a more lengthy'description is regarded as unnecessary. Y y 105Yllilinor. changesgin shape, size, and'rearf-w rangement of'detailscoming Within th'efeldf of invention'claimed may be resorted -'to :inactual lpractice if 'fdesifredv A four wheell'bra-ke mechanism fon ve:-hieles including. in .combination a'v shaft-ex;- tending transverselyofVthe frame of a ve=A hicie, a'pair of sleeves mounted upon` said shaft,supports extending transversely 0f the 115; vehicle frame forwardly andrearwardly-fof? said shaft, each of said supports including a bar havinga plurality of bearings, the bar"y of one of said supports being upsetwith respect to the bar of the other of the sup-1203 ports, a pair ofshafts'journalled in the bear#l ings of each supportbar, one ofv saidsleeves embodying a pair-of similarly directed arms, the other ofsaid.sleevesembodying'a pair of oppcsicely directed arms, a' brake con-125i trol rod, means operatively connecting said rod with the inner armsof vsaidsleeves, each of said rock shaftsY provided with a pair' ofcrank arms, longitudinallyf adjustable of shafts with the outer arm ofone of said sleeves, a second longitudinally adjustable means connectingthe inner arms of the second pair of shafts with the outer arm of theother of said sleeves, and means operatively connecting the outer arm ofeach shaft of v the respective pairs of shafts with the Wheel brakes atcorresponding ends of the vehicle frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

CHARLES D. RAMELLI.

